This disclosure relates generally to portable negative pressure wound therapy systems and methods for treating a wound and more specifically, an improved wound canister waste solidification system.
Wound healing is known to present challenges within the medical field. In order for a wound to close, epithelial and subcutaneous tissues around the wound migrate and progress towards the center and away from the base of the wound until the wound closes. Closure is especially difficult with larger wounds, chronic wounds or wounds that have become infected. A zone of stasis (area in which localized swelling of tissue may restrict blood flow to the tissues) may form near the surface of a wound, preventing tissues from receiving adequate oxygen and nutrients and inhibiting the ability to resist microbial infection and affect proper wound healing.
Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), also known as suction or vacuum therapy, has been used and found beneficial in treating and healing large or difficult wounds. Applying negative pressure to an area over a wound has been found to promote closing of the wound due to promotion of blood flow to the area, stimulation of the formation of granulation tissue and encouragement of the migration of healthy tissue over the wound. Fluids may also be drawn from the wound by using negative pressure and thus remove fluids that would otherwise tend to encourage bacterial growth. Particularly, this negative pressure therapy has been recognized as effective for chronic, healing-resistant and post-operative wounds.
Typically, in NPWT, a wound covering is positioned over a wound. An attachment in communication with a vacuum source, such as tubing, is added to the wound covering and facilitates suction at the wound site. Fluids and exudates drawn off the wound site through the tubing are usually transferred to and stored in a waste storage container.
Often, it is in the best interest of a patient to remain ambulatory if possible. In such circumstances, portable NPWT devices may be prescribed for a patient with a wound. Portable NPWT devices are typically large and have attachments, such as a control unit, including a suction pump and electronic monitor, for example, microprocessors or pressure transducers. It is recognized that NPWT devices are prone to tipping and/or leakage at the container and around the wound covering, especially when portable NPWT units are worn and patients move around. This produces several problems, however. For example, the exudates may aspirate from the container and clog the attachment, damage the electronics and pump and/or leak from the container and expose the patient to biological wastes and contaminants. To address these problems, some have attempted to provide improved tubing, while others have increased the pump strength and/or improved the seal made by the wound covering at the wound site. Screens, filters and seals have been added to NPWT systems in an attempt to prevent leakage of waste fluids from the waste storage container and backflow into tubing, control and negative pressure sources. Absorbents have even been added to containers in an attempt to limit the liquid available to spill or leak. The absorbents, typically used, however, do not reach full solidification of the fluids for many reasons. Some absorbents can also be caustic and must be very carefully handled by patients and medical personnel in order to avoid exposure. Despite these attempts to prevent potential harmful exposure, leakage of biological wastes and potentially harmful bacteria, fungi or other organisms remains a problem. The potential for spillage of these contaminants may inhibit patients from utilizing portable NPWT devices and/or prolong a hospital stay due to a wound. Home use of NPWT is discouraged when patients would have to tend to the device and contamination exposure remains a real threat. As a result, hospital stays may be prolonged unnecessarily and medical costs increased. It is to these and other problems that this disclosure is directed.